Changing a losing culture was one of coach Adam Gase’s biggest goals when he took over the Jets in January.

And while he knows that goal is far from accomplished, he’ll have an early test this season with outside linebacker Jachai Polite, a third-round draft pick and the second player the Jets selected this year, 68th overall.

Polite entered the 2019 NFL Draft with major character concerns — red flags that surely caused him to fall to Round 3. This is no doubt a risky selection by the Jets, though they think their locker room setting can help guide Polite as he matures in the NFL.

“They took a chance with me,” Polite said of the Jets. “I have great people around me in the locker room [with the Jets]. I’m surrounded by great people, so I have no choice but to change and be great.”

Polite said his rocky pre-draft process “opened my eyes to the real world,” in terms of the “immature stuff” he did at Florida. But Gase said Polite has “a fresh start” with the Jets.

“Whatever happened in the past is irrelevant to me,” Gase said. “Moving forward, it’s going to be on him to do the right things — and to worry about what he can control, which is showing up every day, being on time, knowing what he needs to do, go out there and practice hard. He does that, it’ll be smooth sailing for him.”

Polite has intriguing burst for the edge rusher-needy Jets. That’s why they took a chance on him in this draft. (And he is officially on board, having signed his rookie contract Sunday.) The Jets drafted Polite over another edge rusher who seemed less risky — Michigan’s Chase Winovich, who went to the Patriots nine picks later.